Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Hydrologists focus on understanding water-related phenomena using strong foundations in mathematics, science, and technology. This career blends analytical work, critical thinking, and written communication, supported by skills in project management, speaking, and leadership. Nationally, hydrologists have a median annual salary of $92,060, with about 6,000 people employed in this occupation. While projected employment growth is slightly negative at -0.1%, the field still offers opportunities in selected states and metro areas with higher opportunity scores. California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington stand out as leading states for this career, and several metro areas offer notably high median salaries. People interested in hydrology may also want to explore related paths such as hydrologic technicians, geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers), materials scientists, physical scientists (all other), and agricultural engineers to compare options. For those drawn to quantitative analysis, scientific inquiry, and water-focused work, hydrology can be a focused, specialized career path.
Hydrologists earn a national median annual salary of $92,060, reflecting solid earning potential for this specialized role. Salaries vary significantly by location. Among states, California shows a median salary of $122,110, while Massachusetts is close behind at $119,350. New York’s median of $88,100 is somewhat below the national median, whereas Colorado and Washington offer $100,840 and $105,600, respectively. At the metro level, several areas stand out for particularly high median pay. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV reports a median salary of $152,730, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reaches $147,080. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA offers $142,640, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA provides $123,420. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro aligns with the state median at $88,100. These differences show that geographic choice can significantly influence earning potential for hydrologists.
Hydrologists have national employment of about 6,000 workers, indicating a relatively small, specialized occupation. The projected employment growth rate is -0.1%, suggesting that overall job numbers are expected to be essentially flat or slightly declining over the projection period. Annual openings are reported as 0, which indicates that new or replacement positions are not expected to be a major source of opportunities at the national level based on the supplied data. However, some states and metro areas still receive meaningful CareerGPS opportunity scores for hydrologists, which points to localized areas of demand despite the minimal overall growth projection. Individuals interested in this field may want to pay careful attention to geography when planning their careers and consider related occupations such as hydrologic technicians, geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers), materials scientists, physical scientists (all other), or agricultural engineers if they want to explore additional options.
Location plays a major role in hydrologist opportunities and compensation. Among states, California ranks highest by CareerGPS opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $122,110 and employment of 540. Massachusetts follows with an opportunity score of 65.87 and median salary of $119,350, though with a relatively small employment level of 50. New York combines an opportunity score of 65.78, median salary of $88,100, and employment of 160. Colorado and Washington both show mid-50s opportunity scores (56.97 and 56.29) with median salaries of $100,840 and $105,600 and employment of 360 and 350, respectively. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $142,640, while the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro nearly matches that score at 77.27. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA also offer high salaries and notable opportunity scores, highlighting significant regional variation.
Hydrologists typically need a bachelor’s degree, reflecting the technical and analytical demands of the field. Success in this career draws heavily on mathematics and science, which support the quantitative and empirical aspects of hydrology work. Proficiency with computers and information technology is also important, as is critical and analytical thinking for interpreting complex information. Strong writing and reading skills help with documenting findings and understanding technical materials, while speaking and listening are valuable for collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders. Creativity and innovation contribute to developing new approaches and solutions, and project management skills support organizing tasks and meeting objectives. Leadership can be important for guiding teams or projects, and mechanical skills add value where understanding physical systems or tools is needed. Together, these skills, built on a bachelor’s-level education, define the core preparation profile for entering and growing in the hydrologist occupation.
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